Shiny Bikes. Any Good?? - Turns out they ain't.

rozzer32

Anyone used Shiny Bikes?? http://www.shinybikes.com/

They are the cheapest for what I want but I've never used them before.

What are they like??

rc856

Only used them once last year to buy my Shamals.
Spoke on the phone and I was happy they knew what they were talking about.

Quick turnaround as well.

flasher

Yep very good, and someone answers the phone too!

zippypablo

I phoned them last year to check they had the wheels I wanted in stock.
They said they had them and 2 days later I had them.
Much better than shops like Primera who advertise stuff they can't deliver for 2 weeks but don't tell you at the time you order.

napoleond

Had a couple of issues with both things I bought from them.

I ordered a set of bars, they ended up going to someone else's address 100 miles from me. They said that I'd signed for them. Took a lot of faff to convince them (and retrieval of the signature, despite it was clearly not sent to myfreaking address!)
About a three weeks later I got them.

Recently ordered a stem, realised I'd gone for wrong size so sent an email cancelling the order. No response.
I needed another stem of a different length anyway so I rang them up, they said 'ooh we were just about to cancel it for you'.
I said I needed a stem of a different length, same model so just send me one of that instead. He said he'd sort it there and then.
Lo and behold they sent me the original wrong order, despite me conversing with the chap 2 minutes before he went off to pack it.
Not had time to sort out returning it yet.

Shame because they seem really nice folks and prices are excellent.

mfin

Same here. I'll still buy from them... but in a couple of cases when I ordered and spoke to them first the following happened...

Recently I bought wheels over the phone at 12pm on a Wednesday. I wanted to check exactly that they had the wheels in stock before using the website. They said yes. I triple checked the variant in the conversation and they said definitely yes. So then I asked if they'd be out today for delivery tomorrow, they said it was 24hr delivery but they would not get them out until the following day so Id have them on Friday.

At the end of Friday, no wheels. I rang up.... they said 'We had the one variant but were waiting for the variant you had to come in' so they went out today', so I ended up with the arriving on Monday (correct ones), so either that was a little white lie about the stock, or it was a little white lie when they told me (with me triple checking in the conversation) that they definitely had them.

The second occasion was also wheels, I checked they had a variant (shopping for my brother this time) over the phone, they said they did, I explained that my brother would call in a few minutes to pay for them, but I gave them his address for billing and mine for shipping (they said its fine shipping to me and him paying, expecially as its over the phone and we have the same surname). He called up minutes later and paid.

My brother called me and said 'right, they're on their way', I asked if he went over in conversation that they're coming to me not him (I was building his bike, the rest was at my house), and he said yep, did that, so you should have them tomorrow. Tomorrow came, no wheels arrived. My brother rang me later on to find that theyd been delivered to his house when he was out at work. Great 200 miles away.

In both cases the conversations with Shiny Bikes seem to have been not listened to. So, Im not surprised with NapD's experience.

BUT... I will say that it doesnt put me off Shiny Bikes, because they answer the phone and they seem nice people, small company, you just get the feeling they're disorganised!!

As against CRC who this week I ordered off, paid £9.99 for next day delivery (order placed at 11am) and low and behold, they didnt get the order out till the next day. Of course I rang and got my £9.99 back, but of course at CRC you're speaking to someone who has a headset on looking like Britney Spears in concert, but a bloke that doesnt look like Britney Spears, and irish, not american.

I dont think I can remember the last time I got anything 'next day' from CRC, including the few times Ive paid extra for it. That is disorganisation. ...I know its an hilarious joke on here to moan about Wiggle, I always end up on the floor laughing with belly ache at the hilarious quips, but fairdoos to them, they're faster than CRC.

Oh well, Shiny Bikes, good prices, just a little more 'fingers crossed' than some. I'll still use them.

porker33

I'd like to order from shiny bikes, but they seem to be quite low on stock, helpful on the phone, but if I need a few bits I prefer to order them in one go, with one postage cost and only waiting for one package......If they have what you want actually there, then worth a try.

rozzer32

Phoned them up to check stock, they had the item in stock so placed my order.

Hopefully have no problems *fingers crossed*

rozzer32

Well Shiny bikes get a massive thumbs down from me, won't be using them again.

Bought the Sidi Ergo 3 in size 45. Got them delivered fine but they were a bit big. Phoned them up and asked if I could return for a size 44, no problem they said, just include a little note stating you want a size 44 etc etc.

So did all that and on the note I made it clear to send the size 44 shoes to my University address, as this is different from my billing address. Few days later get a call from the mother to say a package has arrived from shiny bikes. They had sent it to the wrong address. I can't see how they got this wrong as 1) they got it right first time and 2) I specficially said in my letter which address to send them to.

So obvoiusly had to get them shipped from home to my Uni address which is a cost I shouldn't have to pay.

Sent them a couple of emails and no response and no answer when I ring them.

Certainly won't be using them again, just glad the size 44 sidi's fit.

bigmat

rozzer32 wrote:

Well Shiny bikes get a massive thumbs down from me, won't be using them again.

Bought the Sidi Ergo 3 in size 45. Got them delivered fine but they were a bit big. Phoned them up and asked if I could return for a size 44, no problem they said, just include a little note stating you want a size 44 etc etc.

So did all that and on the note I made it clear to send the size 44 shoes to my University address, as this is different from my billing address. Few days later get a call from the mother to say a package has arrived from shiny bikes. They had sent it to the wrong address. I can't see how they got this wrong as 1) they got it right first time and 2) I specficially said in my letter which address to send them to.

So obvoiusly had to get them shipped from home to my Uni address which is a cost I shouldn't have to pay.

Sent them a couple of emails and no response and no answer when I ring them.

Certainly won't be using them again, just glad the size 44 sidi's fit.

whinging student!

ajb72

You used them because they are cheap and had stock yes? So are you really going to spit the dummy and never use them again just because they posted them to the wrong address?? No guarantee an alternative store will do any better, so good luck paying more elsewhere. Every retailer has issues.

rolf_f

BigMat wrote:

whinging student!

To be fair, as an impoverished student, he's bound to struggle with the postage costs of his Sidis after buying his Cervelo R3

rozzer32

Rolf F wrote:

BigMat wrote:

whinging student!

To be fair, as an impoverished student, he's bound to struggle with the postage costs of his Sidis after buying his Cervelo R3

Or my new Scott Addict

markrjl

My experience with Shiny Bikes has been very positive. Bought an APEX group set nearly 2 years ago. Excellent price, fantastic advice (they knew the brakes would not fit a 2009 Synapse Alu frame so advised on alternatives) and rapid delivery. When a shifter failed I upgraded to Force shifters and chainset. These got lost in the post but I phoned and got through immediately. There were no quibbles and new items were sent out and arrived safely two days later (I hope Royal Mail found the original ones for them). Not only that but they took the old shifters back as SRAM have a 2 year warranty and these were replaced after review by SRAM to confirm what the problem was.
I will definitely buy from Shiny Bikes again.

rozzer32

markrjl wrote:

My experience with Shiny Bikes has been very positive. Bought an APEX group set nearly 2 years ago. Excellent price, fantastic advice (they knew the brakes would not fit a 2009 Synapse Alu frame so advised on alternatives) and rapid delivery. When a shifter failed I upgraded to Force shifters and chainset. These got lost in the post but I phoned and got through immediately. There were no quibbles and new items were sent out and arrived safely two days later (I hope Royal Mail found the original ones for them). Not only that but they took the old shifters back as SRAM have a 2 year warranty and these were replaced after review by SRAM to confirm what the problem was.
I will definitely buy from Shiny Bikes again.

Hi *waves*

So which department do you work in at Shiny bikes then?? :roll:

team47b

Small businesses (and large ones) charge £5 to send to Europe, Shiny bikes charge 3 times as much.

Disclaimer: not a tight b*rstard just rather spend money on cycling stuff rather than postage

derbygrimpeur

I've used Shiny Bikes a few times and always been very happy.

I think it's a bit unfair on the retailer to change the topic title to "Turns out they ain't" for what is a relatively minor problem. I recently had a similar experience with a different (running) retailer. It won't stop me ordering from them again in the future should they have the product I want at the right price.

Shiny Bikes gets a thumbs up from me.

izza

Big thumbs up from me.

Bought a Exposure light from them - it was just going out of stock as it was last year's range (Strada Mk II). They confirmed they they might not have stock as discount price had been a good offer and they may only have one or two left over the phone.

I was told not to be concerned since, if the last few stock items went before I could get order in, then I was promised a Mk III version for the discounted price of the old model MkII.

Within a week the new version light arrived with invoice for the discounted older version. Sorted.

rrsodl

NapoleonD wrote:

Had a couple of issues with both things I bought from them.

I ordered a set of bars, they ended up going to someone else's address 100 miles from me. They said that I'd signed for them. Took a lot of faff to convince them (and retrieval of the signature, despite it was clearly not sent to myfreaking address!)
About a three weeks later I got them.

Recently ordered a stem, realised I'd gone for wrong size so sent an email cancelling the order. No response.
I needed another stem of a different length anyway so I rang them up, they said 'ooh we were just about to cancel it for you'.
I said I needed a stem of a different length, same model so just send me one of that instead. He said he'd sort it there and then.
Lo and behold they sent me the original wrong order, despite me conversing with the chap 2 minutes before he went off to pack it.
Not had time to sort out returning it yet.

Shame because they seem really nice folks and prices are excellent.

I ordered a stem from them last Saturday, by Sunday night I realised I made a mistake with the size, etc. I cancelled the order by replying to their email, leaving a message on their answer machine and by the "contact us" form. No signs of them yet. The order is still listed as "not finished".

I'm thinking just to go ahead and request a refund through Paypal and never use this company any.

swagman

Still waiting on a groupset ordered 2 weeks ago, anybody else having problems recently?